Today's hybrid vehicles typically utilize a number of lithium ion battery cells to generate power. Information regarding voltages of the battery cells is generally transported between computer systems or processors along a vehicle bus within a hybrid vehicle, so that such information can then be interpreted and utilized within the hybrid vehicle. For example, if the voltage for a particular battery cell is higher than a desired voltage level, then the hybrid vehicle may utilize one or more cell balancing techniques to reduce the cell voltage closer to the desired voltage level.
The voltage information transported between computer systems or processors is often encoded prior to being transmitted along the vehicle bus. For example, a checksum may be utilized for voltage values to provide a level of encoding. However, it is often difficult to attain a desired level of encoding of the voltage information within a hybrid vehicle without significantly increasing the size and/or number of messages transmitted along the vehicle bus.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved method for encoding information regarding battery cell voltages in a hybrid vehicle, for example that provides improved encoding and/or that does not significantly increase the size and/or number of messages transmitted along the vehicle bus. It is also desired to provide an improved program for encoding information regarding battery cell voltages in a hybrid vehicle, for example that provides improved encoding and/or that does not significantly increase the size and/or number of messages transmitted along the vehicle bus. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.